The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1887-11-12
Coreoran's tribute to Lee.
[RaltiInore Sun.l

MIR. w. w. COrcOran. the venerable
philanthrOpist, has written letter eX-
pressing regret that the state Of his
health win not permit of his accepting
an invitation to the laying of the
corner stone of the Lee monument in
Richmond. Oct. 27th. OF General
Robert f. Lee, Mr.. Corcoran says;
1T was my good fortune to have
been honored with the intimate ac-
quaintance and close friendship of
Gen. Lee during the whole period of
his public career, and whether | recall
him as he moved in the social sphere,
which he adorned by his graces and
virtues, or as he lowered above his
contemporaries ON that higher stage
where the lustre of his great qualities
shone in the eyes of the whole civilized
world, | can truly say, with no small
experience of my fellow men, that ofall
the men | ever knew, he always SEEM
ed TO me the most remarkable for the
grandeur as well as the symmetry of
the elements which composed the
strength and beauty of his peerless
character. For such was the natural
constitution and such the harmonious
blending of these elements that, in the
gentleness of his demeanor, he was
seen to be as great in his goodness as
he was good in all his greatness.
Like all truly great and good, Gen.
Lee had in the highest degree that sim
plicity of character which springs from
purity of heart as well as from the
perfect transparency of clear intelli-
gence. Endowed with al understand
ing which was as calm as it was pene-
trating and profound, he always pos
secsed his soul in patience which
never murmured and a serenity which
was never rufiled, whatever might be
the duties he was summoned TO per-
form of whatever perils he was called
to face.
Nobody ever found him unprepared.
No trial ever shook his steadfast mind.
Intrepid in all the assaults of fortune
and the very soul of honor, he was the
Chevalier Bayard of his day-a knight
without fear and without reproach,
because in him all that was soldieriy
in conduct met and mingled with all
that was blameless in life. With an
integrity which rooted itself in the
very fibre of his moral constitution,
and which, therefore, never gathered
spot or stain throughout the whole of
his long and eventful career no yet had
not the slightest trace of vanity or
consciousness In his nature, but walk
ed before men with the modesty and
humility born of deep religious
spirit.
It is only those who knew him well
in all the serene depths Of his mental
and moral being who can account for
the heroism he displayed after he had
sheathed his sword and bowed, with
out repining, to the decree of an over
ruling Providence.
Although the life and example of
such man may justly seem to belong
in some special sense to the state and
section which stood in the clearest
sight of all his greatness and all
his goodness, yet the whole country
may rightly claim its share in the her.
itags of that renown which all gener-
Gus minds are quick to accord to ex-
alted virtues wherever found, and TO
magnanimity of soul wherever il is
inspired by supreme and conscien-
tious sense of right"
In fitting connection with this high
tribute to Gen. Lee, we append the
following which he spoke shortly be-
fore his death:
"My experience of men has neither
disposed me to think worse of them,
nor indisposed me to serve them nor,
in spite of failures, which lament, of
errors which now see and acknowl-
edge, or of the present aspect of affairs
do despair of the future. The truth
is this The march of Providence is so
slow, and our desires SO impatient, the
work of progress is SO immense, and
our means of aiding II so feeble, the
lie of humanity is SO long, and that of
the individual SO briei, that we often
see only the ebb of the advancing wave,
and are thus discouraged. II is history
that teaches us to hope"